Fiskmarkaðurinn (Fish Market), Reykjavik, 7/28/17

building
building

The Fish Market is in an old house with a seating area, waiting room and bar upstairs and the kitchen and additional seating downstairs.  There were also about 6 stools facing the open kitchen.  Soft background music plays and the bare wood tables are paired with lattice work decorations on the walls and wide planked wood floors.  It was packed the evening we were there but the noise level wasn’t too bad even though the perimeter tables are fairly close to one another.  The middle of the floor had the bigger tables and they were more generously spaced.  Service was super friendly,  helpful and provided good pacing for the meal.  It was an integral part of the success of the meal and possibly why the business has been flourishing for 10 years this August.  They offer a 9 course tasting menu and an a la carte menu.  We chose the tasting menu and our own bottles of wine, as opposed to the optional pairings (which are only 7 wines).  They do have a fairly reasonable wine list as well as a selection of house wines.  

entrance
entrance
waiting area
waiting area
bar
bar
upstairs interior
upstairs interior
bar
bar
Frankie found a plant
Frankie found a plant
downstairs dining room
downstairs dining room
table set  up
table set up
menu cover
menu cover
menu 1
menu 1
menu 2
menu 2
menu 3
menu 3
menu 4
menu 4
dessert menu
dessert menu
Great waitress Adriana Sofia Roa Campo and Frankie
Great waitress Adriana Sofia Roa Campo and Frankie

 

While waiting for the tasting to get started we were brought butter and house made warm bread with fruits.  It was a dense wheat bread served in a bag that had warmed stones in the bottom.  It was very good.

bread
bread
butter
butter
wine
wine
wine
wine
Frankie sharpened her claws
Frankie sharpened her claws

 

The Bitter Lemon Glazed Artic Char was served on edamame purée with  pickled onion, cauliflower and crispy Icelandic rye bread.  A final step at the table was to cover it all with shredded dried cod.  The char was barely cooked and worked well with the textural contrast of the crispy bread.  All the flavors really melded – it was a winner.

presentation
presentation
Bitter Lemon Glazed Artic Char with edamame purée,  pickled onion, cauliflower and crispy Icelandic rye bread
Bitter Lemon Glazed Artic Char, edamame purée,  pickled onion, cauliflower and crispy Icelandic rye bread
closer
closer
kitchen
kitchen

 

Robata grilled Minke Whale was  served with horseradish, red currants and soya ginger sauce.  This whale is from Iceland and cured in salt.  It was totally tender and tasted a lot like a cross between beef and tuna.  The whale was seared and paired wonderfully with the various other ingredients and sauces but was also fine on its own.  A very tasty dish.

Robata grilled minke whale with horseradish and redcurrant served with soya ginger sauce
Robata grilled minke whale, horseradish, redcurrant and soya ginger sauce
closer
closer
sauce
sauce
Frankie said it was a success
Frankie said it was a success

 

Lumpfish roe was with chervil, pickled onion, sea truffle and fermented potatoes.  The sea truffle are the dark shreds on top and they added to the amazing variety of tastes and textures in this dish.  It all blended so well and really worked together.  A total winner of a dish.

Lumpfish roe was with chervil, pickled onion, sea truffle and fermented potatoes
Lumpfish roe, chervil, pickled onion, sea truffle and fermented potatoes
closer
closer
underneath
underneath

 

Rock Shrimp Tempura was deep fried in a light tempura batter and served with sweet melon, jalapeño dressing and leek sprouts.  The shrimp were hot, juicy and outstanding.  The sauce had a nice spiciness and a little lime enhanced the fine taste even more.  The melon was terrifically sweet and paired well with the little bits of crunchiness scattered throughout.   This was an amazing dish – lick the plate kind of good.

Rock Shrimp Tempura was deep fried in a light tempura batter and served with sweet melon, jalapeño dressing and leek sprouts
Rock Shrimp Tempura – deep fried in a light tempura batter with sweet melon, jalapeño dressing and leek sprouts
closer
closer
Sweet server Erla Jónatansdóttir and Frankie
Sweet server Erla Jónatansdóttir and Frankie

 

Two pieces of sushi included yuzu scallop and Volcano Langoustine maki with langoustine tartar with sesame oil, 7 spice and chilli on top of maki roll with salmon and cucumber. Both were excellent.  The scallop was milder but a great combination of ingredients.  The langoustine roll was also an amazing flavor explosion and a great mix of textures.  They were both served with wasabi paste, ginger and dipping sauce.  Another lick-the-plate dish here.

yuzu scallop and Volcano Langoustine maki with langoustine tartar with sesame oil, 7 spice and chilli on top of maki roll with salmon and cucumber
yuzu scallop and Volcano Langoustine maki – langoustine tartar with sesame oil, 7 spice and chilli on top of maki roll with salmon and cucumber
closer
closer
closer
closer volcano langoustine maki
Frankie says they ran out of towels
Frankie says they ran out of towels

 

Lightly salted cod was spiced with lime zest and served with potato purée, dried cranberries and sweet celery salad.  The celery salad was a tad sweet and mixed well with the salty cod.  The buttery potatoes mixed perfectly with the fish also.  Nuts in the salad added a bit of crunch to this great dish.

Lightly salted cod was spiced with lime zest and served with potato purée, dried cranberries and sweet celery salad
Lightly salted cod – spiced with lime zest and served with potato purée, dried cranberries and sweet celery salad
closer
closer
potatoes
potatoes
closer
closer
Frankie wondered where it went
Frankie wondered where it went

 

Mussels were served with a liquid nitrogen broth that was unnecessary.  The broth was the star in this dish – it was worth pouring the remainder into the extra cup provided to get every last bit –  the dish it came in made it difficult to scoop up a bit of broth to go with the mussels.  The mussels were tasty and plump.  Another good dish.

Mussels presentation
Mussels presentation
adding the nitrogen
adding the nitrogen
closer
closer
Frankie liked the extra cup for sauce
Frankie liked the extra cup for sauce

 

Dry aged Angelica Fed Organic Lamb was served with cream of roasted mushrooms, confit lamb shanks, pickled beetroot and fried shitake.  The filet of lamb was from Iceland lambs that had been dry aged for 2 weeks.  It was fried in butter with no marinade.  It had a taste of pure lamb.  The 3 types of mushrooms were very good and accented the lamb well.  It was all dusted with hazelnut powder.   It was a fine dish.

presentation
presentation
Dry aged Angelica Fed Organic Lamb was served with cream of roasted mushrooms, confit lamb shanks, pickled beetroot and fried shitake
Dry aged Angelica Fed Organic Lamb with cream of roasted mushrooms, confit lamb shanks, pickled beetroot and fried shiitake
Frankie studied the writing on the back side of the plate
Frankie studied the writing on the back side of the plate

 

Dessert was a combination plate for the table of all their desserts.  Warm chocolate cake was possibly my favorite.  Nothing new but really well done and nicely sweet and chocolatey.  White chocolate cheesecake with rice crispy meringues and passion fruit sauce was a close second.  Two sorbets, blueberry and passion fruit were fine.  Raspberry lava mousse needlessly had smoke – nothing needed the special effects because it was all tasty in its own right.  Fun to have the selection but confusing to remember.  Lots of flavor again here, though.

dessert tray
dessert tray
closer
closer
closer
closer
other side
other side
Chef Kirill Ter-Martirosol
Chef Kirill Ter-Martirosol and Frankie

Leave a Reply